MOTU BPM is a TOTAL NO GO for PT HD

[25ghosts]

******************* F I X E D, please read my last ENTRY ************************

Hi,

I am furious as furious could ever be.

Bought BPM today,which is working VERY nice in the standalone version.

In Pro Tools THIS is a total different situation.

1) When instantiating the Plug-In - it takes about 60 seconds to do so.

2) EVERY time I click the plug to toggle it open, I cannot use ANY of it's controls. UNTIL, I toggle the INPUT of the Instrument track. Thought that HAD been fixed with PT8?????

3) If I hit PLAY on BPM and then hit play and stop on the PT transport, the SWOD appears indefinitely and I have to force quit PT

4) If I save while BMP is in it's own play mode, you guessed it, the SWOD appears, and I have to force quit PT.

5) ALL graphics WILL stop responding every 60 seconds while BPM plays. Fader lights etc. Everything. And I cannot touch ANY controls.

6) Hit play on BPM and try to add in input or toggle it. You guessed it / BPM HANGS protools

Like I said, the standalone application works OK. This far.

In Logic 8 - you can ONLY have multiple outs if you use Stereo. That makes NO sense at all. Who would wanna have a mono kick wasted on a stereo output. I cant believe that they did not allow for mono outs in Logic. not even with panning.

However, in L8, BPM opens in 2 seconds which is a whopping 58 seconds faster than on PT RTAS. Which I dont have the feeling has gotten ANY better with PT8


MOTU BPM is a disaster zone. And I urge you NOT to be a as dumb as me and buy this thing. At least before they acknowledge that they have a problem bigger than than the alleged Global Warming.

I think MOTU's Cheese slipped off their Cracker.

[TCDet]

Good to know. Please keep us informed.
Have you tried (Not Ideal) with the UVI workstation RTAS (Free)?
This plug is working here Although I don't have an extensive UVI library.

G5 Dual 2.7, OS 10.5.5, PT's 8cs1

[25ghosts]

Now I am even more furious.

I thought I'd give MOTU tech support a call and have a chat with them.

This is what happened:

As the person heard it was about PT 8 and BUGs he went off line for 3 and a half minutes. Then he came back and thanked me for waiting. Then he asked me if I could try using BPM in Protools 7, instead.

Because - and I quote now:

Pro Tools 8 is still such a new program and DIGIDESIGN is trying to even out THEIR BUGS

I told him. Since X-Mass I have had PT 8 running more or less, non-stop. I have had 3 unexpected quits in that time.
After trying BPM for 20 minutes I had 8 crashes.

Then he went silent. I then told him about the 6 points, which I have referred to in this here thread, on how to HANG Protools 8.
Then he went offline for about 7 minutes and then came back and asked if I had used it in Logic. That really helped.

I asked him if they actually had BETA testers, testing BPM in PT 8 and he replied, that they have thoroughly tested BPM in PT7 and PT8 and that they had NEVER experienced those problems.

I then told him, that the problems here, are reproducible on 4 different computers, 2 HD's and 2 LE's both PT 8. And that I called my dealer and that he could reproduce this as well on the setup in their store

He then started to repeat him self, over and over again. And asked me to enter their support ways and start writing about the BPM experiences.

I asked him, to connect me with someone in charge of BETA testing, and told him that I, if having been a BETA tester, could have given MOTU, 8 different ways of crashing Pro Tools, in ONE email after using the plug-in for ONLY 20 minutes.

He told me that he could NOT give me access to such a person.

Then I told him that I am 100% sure that they HAVE indeed NOT ONE SINGLE BETA tester for PT because even a Pro Tools novice, would have seen these BUGS - immediately.


Then I called MOTU Customer Services.

I told the woman, on the line that I would like to speak to someone, in charge of making this product as I would like to enroll as a BETA tester for BPM, so that those BUGS could be eliminated ASAP. She asked me to call, Tech Support.

I told her that I had already done so and that I would love to speak to someone else. She said, "If you wanna be a BETA tester you will have to supply your information of experience and if THEY feel that you are competent, they will set up an interview with you".... I could not help but start laughing. I mean, seriously, if the "phantom" BETA testers of BPM would have had ANY experience at all, they would have seen those flaws immediately.

I plead her to put me through to someone else. She said that it was not possible. I told her that I was only trying to help and that it would be a whole lot faster if she would just put me through. She declined again. Then I told her that I feel very much cheated when someone is releasing a software, which according to package and web site, is PT compatible and it is not. And that I would contemplate having my lawyer write them a letter.

She then began the usual proletarian yadda yadda about ME threatening her and MOTO. And that this conversation was recorded. Then she told me that she had another call on the other line, and that she would now be hanging up. And that is exactly what she did.

Nice sounding or not - I am going to return this malfunctioning software to my dealer today. I have already arranged for that. Funny thing was, as I called him he said "You are the second one calling about getting his money back today. And we only got the package in yesterday, this has gotta be a new record"

I am done with MOTU - even if they make a plug called "Guaranteed Hit" I would not touch it with a pair of pipe pliers.

[otristan]

Hi,

I'm one of the UVI Engine developer, so we'll try to sort this out.

Let's try to figure what's happening.

* Could you try to disable Protools AutoSave ?
* Do you own other UVI Soundbanks ?
* Care to share the crashlog ?
* How many processors are you using in Protools ?
What happens if you use one below your maximun number of processors ?

For information, BPM has been tested on Protools 7 and 8 on both Mac and PC.
We already have several beta testers using Protools.

Thanks,

[synthetik42]

hmm... I have one of these on order.. It really looked like exactly what I was looking for in a drum machine so I had high hopes.. Please keep us updated.

[25ghosts]

Originally Posted by otristan

Hi,

I'm one of the UVI Engine developer, so we'll try to sort this out.

Let's try to figure what's happening.

* Could you try to disable Protools AutoSave ?
* Do you own other UVI Soundbanks ?
* Care to share the crashlog ?
* How many processors are you using in Protools ?
What happens if you use one below your maximun number of processors ?

For information, BPM has been tested on Protools 7 and 8 on both Mac and PC.
We already have several beta testers using Protools.

Thanks,

Wow, otristan,

i had not expected this. I appreciate, more than you think, that you are chiming in here.

* Could you try to disable Protools AutoSave ?

Already tried that - does not help. The problem arose NOT whilst AutoBackup was running but whilst I hit command + save in while BPM was playing.

* Do you own other UVI Soundbanks ?
Yes, Etno, MSI, Plugsound Pro

* Care to share the crashlog ?
I am in a session now - but I will try to get one by tomorrow, Sorry.
Mind you, that I am the one having to force quit PT it does not really crash. The report says something about HANG. But I will post it.

* How many processors are you using in Protools ?

4 - I have, however, tried about 4 alternative. This is the first thing I always do once a VI starts acting up ;-)

We already have several beta testers using Protools.

They did not do a very accurate job. In the meantime, I have called a colleague, who bought BPM today. And he can reproduce this as well. So now, my dealership, my friend, and I on 4 different setups, can reproduce those flaws.

I really wanted to work this out rather than starting a feud. But your tech personal, were not interested in that.
OK, I am ready to give you all the co operation you need and mail you all my findings. I promise they will be decisive. And you can mail me here instead of having to post here every time

[email protected]

[otristan]

Originally Posted by 25ghosts

Wow, otristan,

i had not expected this. I appreciate, more than you think, that you are chiming in here.

* Could you try to disable Protools AutoSave ?

Already tried that - does not help. The problem arose NOT whilst AutoBackup was running but whilst I hit command + save in while BPM was playing.

So if I get it right, BPM only have issue when you're trying to save ?

Originally Posted by 25ghosts

* Do you own other UVI Soundbanks ?
Yes, Etno, MSI, Plugsound Pro

Is there still the same issue if you don't have those in the UVISoundbanks folder ?

Originally Posted by 25ghosts

* Care to share the crashlog ?
I am in a session now - but I will try to get one by tomorrow, Sorry.
Mind you, that I am the one having to force quit PT it does not really crash. The report says something about HANG. But I will post it.

If it leads to hang then the crashlog will not be accurate.
Still worth a look.

Originally Posted by 25ghosts

* How many processors are you using in Protools ?

4 - I have, however, tried about 4 alternative. This is the first thing I always do once a VI starts acting up ;-)

I had some reports regarding this on UVIWorkstation on 8 processors mac so I was just wondering.(worked fine using 7 but not 8)

Originally Posted by 25ghosts

They did not do a very accurate job. In the meantime, I have called a colleague, who bought BPM today. And he can reproduce this as well. So now, my dealership, my friend, and I on 4 different setups, can reproduce those flaws.

I really wanted to work this out rather than starting a feud. But your tech personal, were not interested in that.
OK, I am ready to give you all the co operation you need and mail you all my findings. I promise they will be decisive. And you can mail me here instead of having to post here every time

[email protected]

I'll send you my mail on this address, you can answer regarding those questions on it.
Every problems has its solution. Don't worry.
Still, I can assure you that we have tested thoroughly on Protools.
FWIW, UVIWorkstation is used by numerous Protools users without any issues and both are based on the same engine, so we should nail the issue pretty quickly.

BPM sessions can be quite big, do you have a lots of Kits and Rack loaded when it hangs ?

Thanks for your time.

Regards,

[soundeziner]

FWIW, UVIWorkstation is used by numerous Protools users without any issues and both are based on the same engine, so we should nail the issue pretty quickly.

Please don't try pass of as non-existent the many many Pro Tools users out there who are having major problems with MOTU instruments. Just look through this forum, the LE forum, Gearslutz, and MOTUNation. There are HUGE numbers of dissatisfied folks out there. My personal experience is that my Pro Tools HD and LE systems run like a rock until I try to use Mach Five and then they will crash 10 to 15 times a day (ALL of which are PT7.x).

And by the way, my experience with MOTU support has also been extremely poor. Nor was I impressed with the release of Mach Five V2 taking years to come out after the original announcement.

[Corto]

Originally Posted by soundeziner

Please don't try pass of as non-existent the many many Pro Tools users out there who are having major problems with MOTU instruments. Just look through this forum, the LE forum, Gearslutz, and MOTUNation. There are HUGE numbers of dissatisfied folks out there. …

And by the way, my experience with MOTU support has also been extremely poor. …

I totally agree with you.

I've tried to use MachFive with Pro Tools 7.4 and Pro Tools 8 :No Way

I've tried to use Mach Five in stand-alone mode with Leopard : No Way

And the MOTU tech support is ridiculous
(And compared to Digitechsupport I can even not find words…)

If you have some time to spend, just take a look at here

[soundeziner]

Corto - that is one of the many MOTU related threads I've read. This is why it frustrates me when people like otristan say

I can assure you that we have tested thoroughly on Protools.

Except for fanboys, does anyone buy that garbage? You don't have to look far. Obviously, somethings been overlooked. Was their computer even on?. Did they re-install everything 500 times as we are asked to do? Being on the sending side of a one-way communication or even worse getting back what seems to be purposefully evasive pathetic non-helpful responses, the frustration level of 25Ghosts (and the LARGE number of frustrated MOTU instrument owners out here) is perfectly understandable.

Oristan - I very much appreciate that you are trying to help 25ghosts. I wish it weren't necessary for you to have to help so many MOTU instrument users out there on a one-to-one basis. It would be better for all of us designers/supporters/users if the product were a bit more stable on release. I also obviously wish MOTU would have an epiphany that would make them realize their customer support/interface is a very important part of their product. I applaud digidesign for recently choosing to be more forthright in their communications with their users. Silence is deadly. Better to say "we screwed up and are working on it" than nothing.